SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Joshua Chepkesir and Jackline Kosgei each cruised to their second-consecutive conference individual title, as the UNC Pembroke men's cross country team won the Conference Carolinas Conference Championship crown and the women's team placed third on Saturday morning at the Milliken Research Park. 

Chepkesir covered the 8K course in 24:49.2 on the way to his fifth-straight conference title. The Eldoret, Kenya, native is the first runner in program history to log five conference titles, including Peach Belt Conference individual honors in 2018, 2019 and 2020. Delsin Burkhart logged a fourth-place finish with a time of 25:38.5, while Jack Phieffer completed the race inside the top-10 in a time of 26:01.3 for a seventh-place finish. Norman Junker (26:20.8) registered a 14^th place finish, while Lucas Nervo (26:34.1) completed the scoring for the Braves in 21^st place.
 
Newcomer Elisha Kipsang (26:43.2) finished inside the top-25 crossing the finish line with a 23^rd place finish, Bryan Viera (27:32.4) crossed the finish line in 37^th place, and Hunter Levy (27:58.5) finished the 8K race in 43^rd place. Gabe Blackwelder posted a time of 30:02.2 for a 86^th place finish, while Kevin Vazquez (30:33.2) recorded a 92^nd place finish. 
 
On the women's side, Kosgei became just the second runner in program history to win back-to-back conference titles, and is the first to notch that honor since Amy Locklear won consecutive titles to close out the 1993 and 1994 seasons. Valary Samoei logged a fourth-place finish with a time of 23:11.6, while Kathryn Anderson also finished inside the top-10 crossing the finish line in a time of 23:36.1 for a seventh-place finish. Newcomer Karen Piro established a new personal best, covering the 6K course in 24:09.9, while Julia Van Dine (25:25.3) rounded out the scoring for the Black & Gold in 28^th place. 
 
Jaqueeta Moise (27:48.9) logged a 61^st place finish and Jazmine Lorenzo (28:10.6) completed the race in 66^thplace. Chloe Phillips logged a 72^nd place finish with a mark of 28:42.4.

Chepkesir, Burkhart, Phieffer, Junker and Nervo all claimed All-Conference Carolinas recognition by virtue of top-21 finishes, while Kosgei Samoei, Anderson and Piro claimed all-league accolades for the women's team. Chepkesir and Kosgei both picked up Conference Carolinas Runner of the Year awards, while Dr. Peter Ormsby was named the Conference Carolinas Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year.
 
The Braves will two-week hiatus before competing in the NCAA Southeast Regional on November 19. The race will be held at the Wingate XC Facility in Wingate, N.C. 



 

CONFERENCE CAROLINAS CHAMPIONSHIPS (NOVEMBER 15)
WOMEN'S 6K		MEN'S 8K
Winner: Jackline Kosgei, UNC Pembroke (22:06.0)		Winner: Joshua Chepkesir, UNC Pembroke (24:49.2)
1	Jackline Kosgei, 22:06.0	1	Joshua Chepkesir, 24:49.2
4	Valary Samoei, 23:11.6	4	Delsin Burkhart, 25:38.5
7	Kathryn Anderson, 23:36.1	7	Jack Phieffer, 26:01.3
15	! Karen Piro, 24:09.9	14	Norman Junker, 26:20.8
28	Julia Van Dine, 25:25.3	21	Lucas Nervo, 26:34.1
61	Jaqueeta Moise, 27:48.9	23	Elisha Kipsang, 26:43.2
66	! Jazmine Lorenzo, 28:10.6	37	Bryan Viera, 27:32.4
72	Chloe Phillips, 28:42.4	43	Hunter Levy, 27:58.5
		86	Gabe Blackwelder, 30:02.2
		92	Kevin Vazquez, 30:33.2
! = Personal Best